- Jonathan Amos
- BBC Science Reporter
Photo editor, Getty Images
On Thursday, most of the residents of the Northern Hemisphere will see a solar eclipse.
This time it will be an annual eclipse. When the moon partially closes the solar disk, it leaves its thin edge.
This phenomenon is best seen in the Arctic.
Many do not live there, but most of the world can see a part of the sun “bite” the moon.
The eclipse began in Kiev at 13:26, according to the British Hydrographic Service. It will arrive at a maximum of 14:15 and end at 15:03. Maximum eclipse in Kiev – 5.1%
Areas that observe this astronomical phenomenon are the eastern part of the United States, northern Alaska, most of Canada, Greenland and part of Europe and Asia.
Photo editor, BBC
Eclipse Map – This is best seen in the areas marked in red
Scientists, as always, advise not to try to see the sun with the naked eye. This can cause severe damage to the eyesight.
This can be done only with the help of special glasses.
Even better – to attend an organized event. Local astronomy clubs usually show people how to safely observe an eclipse.
Photo editor, Robin Skaggle
An eclipse begins at sunrise in the Canadian city of Ontario.
A broad band of the annual phase will cover its northern part, after which it will fly to the top of the world, especially the North Pole, reaching the Far East of Russia and separating from the Earth.
In the middle of the Strait of Ners, which separates the Canadian archipelago from Greenland, the duration of the eclipse is very long – about four minutes.
However, there will be some who see the solar disk covering more than 90% of the moon. There may only be a couple walruses in the snow.
Photo editor, Stephen Cheap
Not every eclipse can be complete. The Moon’s orbit around the Earth is not exactly circular; The distance of the satellite from the planet varies from 356,500 km to 406,700 km.
Due to this difference, the apparent size of the moon in the sky changes by about 13%.
If the moon closes the sun near its orbit, it blocks it completely (total eclipse). But if the Moon covers the Sun on the reverse side of its orbit, as it does today, it will not completely cover the solar disk – and the “ring of fire” or the ring of sunlight will be visible.
But this event is no less beautiful.
“Eclipses allow us to merge with the sun,” explains Lucy Green, a professor at UCL Mullard’s Space Research Laboratory.
. Intricate clockwork. He told the BBC News.